A High Court in Jalingo, Taraba State, has sentenced a
27-year-old cleric, Malam Mubarak Hassan, to 15 years imprisonment for the
killing of a 16-year-old boy, Mustapha Ishyaku.
The incident occurred in Mutum Biyu, within Gassol
Local Government Area, where the victim was reportedly killed and buried in a
shallow grave.
Delivering judgment on Friday, March 27, 2026, the
Chief Judge of the state, Justice Joel Agya, found Hassan guilty of culpable
homicide not punishable by death and ordered that he serve a 15-year jail term
without the option of a fine. The sentence is to take effect from March 3,
2022, the date of his arrest.
However, the court discharged and acquitted the
defendant of charges relating to abduction and kidnapping, citing insufficient
evidence.
The case, filed by the Office of the Attorney General
in June 2022, initially included two counts—abduction and culpable homicide.
The prosecution had alleged that Hassan abducted the victim, killed him, and
concealed the body.
During proceedings, the court noted that the
prosecution failed to establish the kidnapping allegation beyond reasonable
doubt. The defence also argued that investigations were inadequate and that key
witnesses were not presented.
On the homicide charge, although the prosecution could
not prove the case to the level required for a death penalty conviction, the
court held that there was enough evidence—albeit weak—to sustain a conviction
for culpable homicide not punishable by death.
Reacting to the verdict, the Deputy Director of State
Prosecution, Ayiatsipu Johanna, expressed appreciation to the court, noting
that the judgment contributed to legal learning and clarity.
Defence counsel, Dahiru Modibbo, who had earlier
appealed for leniency, indicated that he intends to challenge the ruling on
appeal.
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